This grilled Italian sausage is beyond easy to make and ready in 10 minutes or less. Never boil or simmer Italian sausage in water. Trust me when I say that grilling it gives it the best texture and flavor.
Italian sausages are great any way you cook them, but they taste even better when they’re cooked on a grill. The skin gets crispy and smokey when they’re cooked this way. They taste great on top of pasta with marinara or piled high on a warm bun with your favorite toppings.
You don’t need anything fancy to make these sausages. Simply place them on the grill, cook, and enjoy. I like to serve these on a submarine roll with sauteed onions, grilled pepper, or fresh sauerkraut.
As summertime approaches, there’s nothing better than the smoky aroma of sausages sizzling on the grill. Grilling sausage over charcoal infuses it with a delightful smoky flavor and allows the casing to get deliciously crispy. However, achieving the ideal blend of smoky exterior and juicy interior when grilling sausage can be tricky. If you cook it too fast, the casing may split and dry out. Too slow, and you’ll be left waiting forever for a mediocre sausage.
Luckily grilling sausage to perfection on a charcoal grill is easy once you know the secrets. In this comprehensive guide, I’ll walk you through my tried and true method for making irresistibly juicy smoky sausage on the barbecue every time.
Getting Started: Choosing the Right Sausage
The first step to grilling sausage success is selecting the right variety. In general, sausages that are labeled as “fresh” are ideal for the grill. These raw, uncooked sausages have a higher fat content that keeps them moist during cooking.
Some of my favorite varieties of sausage for grilling up juicy smoky perfection include
-
Bratwurst – These German sausages have a coarse texture and flavorful blend of veal, pork, and spices.
-
Italian sausage – Spicy or sweet, Italian sausage gets great charring and retains moisture.
-
Kielbasa – With its blend of pork and smoky flavor, kielbasa was made for the grill.
-
Chorizo – The bold spice blend in this Spanish sausage really shines over charcoal.
While fresh sausage works best, you can also grill fully cooked smoked sausage like kielbasa or hot dogs using slightly different techniques.
No matter what type of sausage you choose, selecting quality, fresh sausages ensures the best results.
Setting Up the Charcoal Grill for Sausage Success
Properly setting up the charcoal grill is key to cooking sausage thoroughly without burning. Follow these tips:
Use indirect heat – With indirect heat, the charcoal burns on one side of the grill while the sausage cooks on the other side, preventing scorching.
** Preheat thoroughly** – Allow 20-30 minutes for the charcoal to ignite fully and become covered in gray ash before adding sausage.
Maintain proper temperature – Keep the grill between 350-400°F, using vents to control airflow and a thermometer to monitor.
Oil the grates – Lightly brushing the grates with oil prevents sticking.
Prepping the Sausages for the Grill
Before tossing your sausages on the grill, follow these preparation steps:
Defrost fully – If frozen, thaw sausages overnight in the fridge for safe, even defrosting.
Prick the casings – Use a fork to poke holes, allowing juices to escape while grilling.
Brush with oil – Coat sausages lightly with oil to prevent sticking.
Preheat grill – Heat grill fully before adding sausages.
Don’t overcrowd – Leave space between sausages for air circulation.
Step-By-Step Instructions for Grilling Sausage
Once your charcoal grill is preheated and your sausages are prepped, it’s time for the fun part – grilling! Follow these simple steps:
-
Arrange charcoal – Pile charcoal on one side of grill, leaving other side empty.
-
Place sausages – Lay sausages on empty side of grill away from direct heat.
-
Close lid – With vents open, close lid to allow smoking.
-
Cook covered – Grill sausages covered for 7-10 minutes until browned.
-
Flip and rotate – Flip sausages and rotate for even cooking.
-
Finish uncovered – Cook 2-3 minutes uncovered to add char.
-
Check doneness – Use a thermometer to confirm 160°F internal temperature.
-
Let rest – Allow sausages to rest 5 minutes before serving.
It’s that easy! Just 15-20 minutes gives you irresistibly juicy, smoky sausage.
Handy Tips for Grilled Sausage Success
Grilling sausage over charcoal may take some trial and error. Keep these handy tips in mind:
-
If sausages are browning too fast, lower heat by closing vents.
-
For extra smoky flavor, add soaked wood chips to the charcoal.
-
Brush with barbecue sauce or spice rub the last 2-3 minutes only to avoid burning.
-
Butterfly thick sausages by slicing lengthwise to cook faster.
-
Serve grilled sausage on toasted buns with desired toppings like sauerkraut or sautéed peppers.
-
For fully cooked sausage, use medium-high direct heat to reheat until charred.
Grilled Sausage Recipe Inspiration
The possibilities are endless when it comes to topping grilled sausage. Get inspired with these mouthwatering ideas:
Juicy Bratwurst
- Sauerkraut, spicy brown mustard, fried onions
Italian Sausage Hoagies
- Grilled onions and peppers, mozzarella, basil, balsamic glaze
Smoky Kielbasa
- Saucy slaw, pickle spears, spicy mustard
Southwest Chorizo
- Roasted corn salsa, cotija cheese, cilantro, lime
Hot Dog Bar
- Chilli, cheese sauce, relish, mustard, ketchup, diced onions
With the right techniques, grilling sausage over charcoal results in juicy, smoky perfection every time. Get ready for your best cookout yet by following this guide to easily achieve sausage greatness. Just fire up the grill, prep those links, and let the mouthwatering aroma of charcoal-grilled sausage make your whole neighborhood jealous.
k
How to Grill Italian Sausage
Believe me when I say it is extremely easy to grill Italian sausage. That being said, I like grilling them more than almost any other way to cook them because it’s easier and the flavor is better. Here’s how to grill Italian sausage.
- Preheat. Turn on the grill. For grilled Italian sausage, I like to use a charcoal grill. Warm the grill up until it’s very hot, about 450 degrees F.
- Grill. Close the grill lid and put the sausages right on the grates. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Turn the sausages over and grill for another 4 to 5 minutes, or until the meat reaches 165 degrees F on the inside. You can also put the buns on the grill for the last few minutes while the sausages are cooking to make them a little more crispy.
- Serve. Quickly take the sausage off the grill and enjoy! You can eat them plain with pasta or your favorite dish, or you can put them in buns and top them with your favorite things for a tasty meal.
How Long to Grill Italian Sausage
It only takes 8-10 minutes to grill Italian sausage with the grill preheated to 450 degrees F.
When the meat inside the sausage reaches 165 degrees F, you know it’s done. Instead of putting the thermometer near the top, where the juices could leak out, put it in the end of the sausage. Remove the meat from the grill as soon as it hits that final 165 degrees F temperature.
How to Grill Sausage
FAQ
How long to cook a sausage on a charcoal grill?
How do you know when sausage is done grilling?
How long do you cook sausage on a charcoal grill?
Start them over indirect heat, and leave them there until they are cooked through. Then, brown the sausage quickly over direct heat to finish. If the grill is hot enough, you can skip the browning step – on my charcoal grill, 20 minutes of indirect heat is enough time to brown the sausage AND cook it through.
How do you cook char grilled sausage links?
Juicy grilled sausages with a char-grilled exterior are perfect every time – the ultimate quick and easy summertime meal! The solution? Create two zones of heat on your grill so you can gently cook your sausage links over indirect heat then transfer them to high direct heat for a crispy char-grilled finish.
How do you cook sausage on a grill?
First, cook the sausage with indirect heat. Arrange the sausage on the indirect heat side of the grill. Close the lid and cook for 8-10 minutes, flipping them halfway through. Why? ⇢ The heat from the direct heat side of the grill will circulate around the sausage, cooking them with really gentle indirect heat.
How do you cook on a charcoal grill?
If using a charcoal grill, arrange the charcoal in a two-zone configuration, with the coals on one side for direct heat and leaving the other side empty for indirect heat. For gas grills, simply turn on the burners on one side and leave the other side off or on low heat for indirect cooking.